The news that renowned Argentinian singer Sandra Mihanovich [es] was donating a kidney to her goddaughter Sonsoles Rey Obligado, daughter of her girlfriend Maria Paz Novarro, surprised Argentinians and raised awareness about the importance of saving lives. Sandra's example has also revived online campaigns seeking to raise awareness about organ donation.

Argentina's law prevents organ donation between living persons who are not direct family members, so Sandra had to go to court for approval. Sandra's website [es] describes the moment when the Judge asks her why she wants to donate her kidney:

“To give love” that's how Sandra defined her decision before the judge, when asked about the reason for donating a kidney to her goddaughter Sonsoles. There isn't much to say against these concrete expressions of love. But this great, emotional and generous act gives us enormous opportunities to learn, to get educated, to lose fear. It is our opportunity to learn more and get informed about organ donation.

On its website, INCUCAI, the government body that regulates, coordinates and supervises organ, tissue, and cell donation and transplants in Argentina, publishes daily statistics about patients on a waiting list for organs. The following is a real time report [es] at the time this post was being translated:

Journalists, teachers, religious leaders, politicians, artists, athletes and all who have a microphone, a podium or a pulpit from which to share information and thoughts have a social responsibility, a moral obligation to encourage hope, to encourage donation, to multiply solidarity, to constantly advertise values that bring us closer together and make us better people and better Argentinians. There is no other way.

On May 30, following the National Day of Organ and Tissue Donation, the INCUCAI launched an online campaign [es] using the hashtag #SoyDonante [es] (“I'm a donor”) on Twitter. Also a video on YouTube was launched with the motto “I'm a donor and I tell the world”:

After winning the bid against competing countries like Japan and Germany, our country's candidacy was endorsed by the World Transplant Games Federation (WTGF) at its meeting in Durban, South Africa. This constitutes a strong endorsement of Argentina's policy on organ transplantation, since Argentina is the first Latin American country to host this activity.

A complete report [es] on Sandra's experience was published on the singer's website. It includes videos, like one with her song “Honrar la vida” (“Honoring Life”). The report concludes: